Who Were the Pharisees?
Who Were the Pharisees? The Pharisees were a Jewish religious sect devoted to strict law observance who often clashed with Jesus over their hypocrisy and man-made traditions.
Key verse: Matthew 23:27 (KJV)
The Pharisees were a Jewish religious sect devoted to strict law observance who often clashed with Jesus over their hypocrisy and man-made traditions.
The Pharisees were a Jewish religious sect devoted to strict law observance who often clashed with Jesus over their hypocrisy and man-made traditions.
"Ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones." — Matthew 23:27 (KJV)
Meaning
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The Biblical Answer
The Pharisees ('separated ones') were a prominent Jewish sect in Jesus' day. They believed in the resurrection, angels, and the authority of both written and oral law (Acts 23:8). Their zeal for the law was commendable — Paul himself was 'a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee' (Acts 23:6). However, Jesus reserved His harshest criticism for their hypocrisy. In Matthew 23, He pronounced seven 'woes' against them: they laid heavy burdens on others but didn't lift a finger themselves (v.4); they practiced religion for show (v.5); they tithed herbs but neglected justice, mercy, and faith (v.23); they were 'whitened sepulchres' — clean outside, corrupt within (v.27). They elevated human traditions above God's commandments (Mark 7:8-9). They plotted Jesus' death because He threatened their authority and exposed their hearts. Yet not all Pharisees opposed Jesus — Nicodemus (John 3) and Joseph of Arimathea (Mark 15:43) were sympathetic, and Paul's Pharisaic background was transformed by grace.
Key Scripture References
"Ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones."
"Ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith."
"Laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men."
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Related Questions
Who Was the Apostle Paul?
Paul was a Pharisee who persecuted the early church until a dramatic encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus transformed him into Christianity's greatest missionary.
Who Were the Pharisees?
The Pharisees were a Jewish religious sect devoted to strict law observance who often clashed with Jesus over their hypocrisy and man-made traditions.
What Does the Elder Brother Represent in the Prodigal Son?
The elder brother represents self-righteous people who serve God dutifully but lack grace for repentant sinners — a mirror of the Pharisees Jesus was addressing.
Who Was Melchizedek in the Bible?
Melchizedek was a mysterious king of Salem and priest of the Most High God who blessed Abraham and received tithes from him.
Who Was Abraham in the Bible?
Abraham was the father of the Jewish nation, called by God from Ur of the Chaldees, and known as the 'father of faith.'
Deep Dive Commentary
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